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Gophers volleyball: Tapp twins' rivalry drives both to succeed

By Jace Frederickjfrederick@pioneerpress.com

Posted:
10/08/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated:
10/08/2013 10:52:12 PM CDT

Hannah and Paige Tapp, twins from Stewartville, celebrate a win during an AAU tournament in April 2012. The sisters now star for the University of Minnesota volleyball team. (Photo courtesy Tapp family)

Gophers volleyball players Hannah and Paige Tapp are visibly different people on and off the court.

The twins feature different hair colors, different personalities and different strengths and weaknesses in their games.

The freshmen middle blockers are even different heights. Paige is 6 feet 1; Hannah is 6-2.

But as much as they contrast, the two are a lot more similar than they'd probably like to admit.

"It seems like they try so hard to be different," the girls' father, Tracy Tapp, said, "but they end up liking the same things and wanting to do the same things."

So it came as no surprise to the girls' mother, Amy Tapp, when both girls chose to attend the University of Minnesota.

"I figured they would end up liking the same school," she said.

The sisters both graduated from Stewartville High School with 4.0 grade-point averages and earned first-team all-state volleyball honors.

Their successes can be largely attributed to one another. The duo said they push each other to become better in everything they do.

"We're probably our No. 1 motivators," Paige Tapp said. "If I see (Hannah) doing something, I have to do that, too, because she can't get ahead of me."

While they've been teammates in every sport they've played, Hannah and Paige Tapp possess a competitive sibling rivalry in nearly every facet of their lives.

Amy Tapp said playing games at home with the girls can even be a challenge.

"They'd play one-on-one (basketball) with each other, (and) it would usually just end up in some sort of argument," she said.

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"It just never ended very well."

Part of Hannah and Paige's drive to be better than the other may stem from a drive to be different, something that's difficult to accomplish when the two lead such similar lives.

Not only did they compete in track and field, basketball and volleyball together growing up, they also established similar friend groups.

To separate themselves, Paige and Hannah both dye their hair -- Paige goes a little lighter, while Hannah likes hers dark, with their natural color somewhere in between.

Tracy Tapp said Hannah is more of a comedian, while Paige enjoys a structured lifestyle.

"They want to have their own identity, but being so close, they've done everything together," he said. "I think they kind of struggle with that."

Amy Tapp said the girls' coaches often would confuse the two. So when Paige and Hannah said they wanted to hold separate collegiate recruitments, and possibly attend different schools, their mother was supportive.

"I thought it would be good for them to go off and get their own identity," she said. "Nobody would even have to know that they had a twin sister."

But the girls both chose to play for the Gophers. And it appears Minnesota coach Hugh McCutcheon recognizes Hannah and Paige for who they are -- individuals.

"They're different and unique," McCutcheon said. "They both bring pretty different personalities and different skill sets to the team."

Just over halfway through their freshman seasons, the girls are adjusting well to Division I athletics.

While Hannah is seeing more court time than Paige early on, both are working to become the well-rounded players McCutcheon wishes for all his athletes.

McCutcheon said Hannah is currently better in side-out situations, while Paige is superior in blocking.

Though the two are still competitive, the improvement effort seems to be collaborative.

"When Paige is out on the court ... I'll watch for what she needs to do," Hannah Tapp said. "So in a timeout, I can tell her that and she can go out and fix it, and vice versa."

McCutcheon also noted some key similarities that Hannah and Paige would likely approve: "They're certainly mindful, and they care a lot about trying to be the best that they can be. By their very natures ... they're helping us to be a better team."